Look Up, Your Redemption Draweth Nigh

Well, the Bible predicts a time of unprecedented tribulation for the people of God at the end of time. Faith will be in short supply at the very end. Jesus speaks to that when he said, Will there be any faith when I come?

Perilous times will come as evil men wax worse and worse. Paul speaks of a sequence of events that will precede the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Sometimes we can get lost in our eschatology, but there are some things that are not crystal clear, but there are some things that are very crystal clear. In that passage in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 3, Paul gives us a sequence of events that will and must precede the second coming of Christ. He says this in verse 3 of 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, That day, speaking of the second coming, that day will not come unless the falling away comes first and the man of sin is revealed. Two things must transpire according to the authoritative Word of God prior to the second coming of Christ. There must be a falling away and a man of sin must be revealed. Jesus said that there will be great tribulation such as has not been since the beginning of the world, nor ever shall be. In his Olivet Discourse, Matthew chapter 24, he says this in relationship to that statement, great tribulation such as has not been since the beginning of the world, nor ever shall be, and unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved, but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened. Unprecedented tribulation. The world will be ripe for judgment as evil and wickedness and darkness will grow in such proportion that at times it will appear that darkness triumphs over truth and extinguishes light itself.

These are the issues that our passage this morning speaks to. So let's pick up in, we're going to, my message is concentrated in verses 11 through verse 15, but for the sake of those who are new with us, and it's been a week or two since we were here, let's engage in a quick review. Verse 7, it says when they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them. The beast that will come out of the bottomless pit, it's the first time that the beast has been referenced, and you can't think about that revelation without thinking about what Paul said in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. The man of sin must be revealed.

What do we learn here? When they finish their testimony, in the face of opposition and hostility, the church that's represented by the two witnesses here will continue to bear witness of the truth and of the gospel and of a message of righteousness. It echoes back to what Jesus said again in the Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24. Jesus said, and the gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations and then the end will come.

There's something else that precedes the end. Not only a falling away, not only the man of sin being revealed, but the gospel of the kingdom must be preached in all the world. And this preaching of the gospel of the kingdom will go on empowered by Almighty God. Notice those witnesses are revealed to us there in the early verses of chapter 11 and in verse 3 God says, and I will give power to my two witnesses and they will prophesy 1,260 days clothed in sackcloth.

That's the church. That's its message. That's its mission, to prophesy, to testify in this world. And then we go back to verse 7, when they finish their testimony, when they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them. Notice that there are restrictions upon the beast. He doesn't have autonomy.

He doesn't have free volition. After they finish their testimony, when they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. And we say, whoa, well if you're not aware that that's been the lot of the Church of Jesus Christ down through the ages, you're not very familiar with church history. That's been the lot of the church, people who have followed Christ. What does it mean to follow Christ? It means to deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Him.

And we must be willing to follow even if it means death, martyrdom for the cause of Jesus Christ. You notice I read there what will happen. Truth will be mocked at the end of the age. Truth will be mocked and appeared to be triumphed over as its enemies gloat and celebrate the church's demise, as it's silenced.

Truth will be trampled on in the street. That's what they did to the Lord Jesus. It wasn't enough that they crucified Him. They mocked Him. They put Him to an open shame.

They gambled for His garments. They rejoiced over His demise. So why should it be any different for the church? It's the same world. It's the same hatred.

The hatred they had for Him is directed to those who follow Him. But notice with me that in contrast to the length of time the gospel is preached, in verse three, three and a half years, 1,260 days, three and a half years, in contrast to that assigned to the preaching of the gospel, how much time is allotted for evil? How much time is allotted for evil to be permitted to reign and create chaos in three and a half days? Three and a half days, verse nine, then those from the peoples, tribes, and tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three and a half days and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. Three and a half days is the time that God allows Satan and the Beast for their final acts of defiance.

We need to think for a moment about three and a half days. We know as we study numbers that the number seven is a number that represents completeness. Remember the words of Christ, unless those days were shortened no flesh would be saved, but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened. So if seven days is completion, fullness, God restricts the manifestation of evil to three and a half days.

God shortens that. God puts a time limit on it. Notice one other verse that speaks of that very same thing, God controlling sovereignly ruling over the affairs of even wickedness. Chapter 13 verse 7, it was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. It was granted to him. In other words, he didn't have access.

He couldn't do it without permission. It was granted to him to make war with the saints, but God has shortened those days. So I'm sure much more could be said in terms of review, but we need to get on to the text at hand and that is verses 11 through 15. And as we consider the text, the passage for this morning, I want us to consider five things. I want you to see number one, a resurrection, a resurrection. Number two, a loud voice from heaven. Number three, an ascension. Number four, a great earthquake. And number five, the reign of Christ.

Let's walk through these points together. Number one, a resurrection. Notice verse 11. Now after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered them and they stood on their feet and great fear fell on those who saw them. Now as I've studied this, I'm convinced that we're not to take this literally, but we're to understand this symbolically, representatively. What do we learn here? Truth is not dead. Evil will not ultimately triumph over truth and righteousness.

How do we know that? Well, we're told here that after three and a half days, after that shortened period, the breath of life from God entered them. When all seems to be lost, when death and decay all around I see, how do we not despair? How do we not continue to have hope? What and where is our hope? Our hope is in the God who breathes life into death.

That's where our hope is. After the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered them and they stood on their feet. When evil and darkness appeared to triumph in the death of Christ, after three days there was a resurrection.

What was the result? Well, not just a level playing field, not just a neutralizing of the power of the devil, but the resurrection announced and ushered in victory over hell, death, and the grave. Commentators wonder if the words of Ezekiel chapter 37 weren't on the mind of John the Revelator when he penned these words. So for our study this morning, turn with me to Ezekiel chapter 37. This is the passage dealing with the valley of dry bones. Ezekiel chapter 37. Ezekiel the prophet speaks there in verse 1 of chapter 37, the hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the midst of the valley and it was full of bones. Then he caused me to pass by them all around and behold there were very many in the open valley and indeed they were very dry. And he said to me, son of man can these bones live?

So I answered, oh Lord God you know. And he said to me, prophesy to these bones and say to them, oh dry bones hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones, surely I will cause breath to enter into you and you shall live. I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you and you shall live.

Then you shall know that I am the Lord. You see the flesh profits nothing but the Spirit gives life. And the question there in Revelation chapter 11, can the powers of hell hinder, prohibit, thwart the power of God from working in the interest of his church? This resurrection, I've applied it to the church, but there are those who apply it to the nation of Israel, that the return from exile is pictured as a resurrection, that that's what's being referred to there in Ezekiel chapter 37.

Some very much personalize it and there is a place for us to personalize that. The new birth, the regenerating work of the Spirit of God is a resurrection, but the church has known times of darkness, of ineffectiveness in the Middle Ages when Roman Catholic Church was dominant. There was very little light, but God always has a remnant and we know of the first and the second great awakenings where God breathed life into his church where it appeared to be, for all practical purposes, dead. That's the resurrection in our passage. I want you to note a second with me, a loud voice from heaven. Verse 12, and they heard a loud voice from heaven. A loud voice from heaven. That phrase loud voice occurs 24 times in the book, but only one other place is there a loud voice in heaven speaking. And that's chapter 12 and verse 10, where John says, then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, now salvation and strength in the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ have come. Verse 15, we have this phrase, then the seventh angel sounded and there were loud voices in heaven saying, loud voices, that speaks of this throng of worshippers. But back to our text, verse 12 of chapter 11, they heard a loud voice from heaven. And the question is, whose voice did they hear? Whose voice did they hear? A good many commentators believe they heard the voice of Christ, the head of the church.

And that raises a question. A loud voice from the throne of heaven speaking. Does this symbolize the rapture of the church? If the two witnesses are symbolic of the church, as I have suggested they are, then that becomes a real possibility. What we are considering and what we are being instructed about is indeed the church of the Lord Jesus Christ and its rapture.

We need to continue in our study, so we've looked at what? A resurrection, a loud voice from heaven. Number three, let's consider an ascension. They heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, come up here. And they ascended to heaven in a cloud. So not only are we told a loud voice from heaven speaking, we have the exact words that are spoken.

And what are they? Come up here. Again, is this the voice and the words of Christ to his church? Listen to the similar language that I think we're all familiar with, but if you want to turn to 1 Thessalonians 4. We're going to look at verse 16 in a moment, but let me read the context. It begins at verse 13, where Paul's writing to the church at Thessalonica, but I do not want you to be ignorant brethren concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. Now verse 16, for the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and thus we shall always be with the Lord. Back to our passage, Revelation 11 verse 12. We're looking at the ascension, the voice from heaven saying, come up here and they ascended to heaven in a cloud, in a cloud.

That's significant. John in the very first chapter of this book said this in verse 7, chapter 1 and verse 7. He's talking about the coming of Christ and he says verse 7, behold he is coming and how is he coming? He's coming with clouds and every eye will see him even they who pierced him and all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of him, even so, amen. He's coming, he's coming with clouds. Back to our text in Revelation 11, the ascension, come up here and they ascended to heaven in a cloud and then it says and their enemies saw them.

This is no secret rapture. Their eyes saw them and isn't that exactly what John said in verse 7 of chapter 1 that I just read to you? Behold he's coming with clouds, every eye will see him, even they who pierced him and all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of him even so, amen.

Every eye will see him, John says in chapter 1 and verse 7. They ascended to heaven in a cloud and their enemy saw them. Clouds are associated with the coming of Christ. We've looked at it there in 1 Thessalonians 4, Matthew chapter 24 and verse 30 speaks to that, Acts chapter 1 verse 9. Christ was received up from the Mount of Olives in a cloud. Revelation 14 and verse 14 speak of the same and I know we're moving quickly because we have time restraints.

I know your mind is probably going, I understand. What have we seen so far? We've seen a resurrection in verse 11. We've seen a loud voice from heaven in verse 12.

We've seen an ascension in verse 12. Notice with me number 4, a great earthquake in verse 13. In the same hour there was a great earthquake and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake 7,000 people were killed and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.

A great earthquake. There are three times in the book of the Revelation that we are told of a great earthquake. Chapter 6 and verse 12, here in chapter 11 and verse 13 and then chapter 16 and verse 18. Each one of those times the period of redemptive history that is being spoken to and of is the end of the age. I'm not going to take the time to show you that in chapter 16 and verse 18. You can look at that.

You can see that and verify what I'm saying to you is true. But let's look at the mention of a great earthquake in chapter 6. Chapter 6, beginning at verse 12. And while you're turning there, let me remind you of how we are to read the book of Revelation. We have seven seals followed by seven trumpets followed by seven vials or seven bowls. And we aren't to understand that as coming in consecutive order. It's not there are the seven seals, then there are the seven trumpets, then there are the seven bowls or vials, whichever your translation says.

This is how we're to understand it. There are the seven seals that cover a period of history. Then God revisits that same period of history with seven trumpet judgments covering the same period of time but in concentric circles, more information being told to us. And then the seven bowl judgments or the vial judgments.

So that's critical that you remember that and see that. Because when we're looking at chapter 6 verses 12 through 17, it's paralleling the same period of time that we're considering in chapter 11. This is what the Word of God says in chapter 6. John says, I looked when he opened the sixth seal and behold there was a great earthquake. Now when I read this description of what's happening in the cosmos, the only logical conclusion you can come to is this is descriptive of the end of the age. There's no turning back from this.

This isn't partial. This is the end. This is the end of the age to usher in a new heaven and a new earth. I looked when he opened the sixth seal and behold there was a great earthquake. The sun became black as sackcloth of hair. The moon became like blood and the stars of heaven fell to the earth as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man hit themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains and said to the mountains and rocks, fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb for the great day of his wrath has come and who is able to stand. That's the end of the age and that's what's happening here back in Revelation chapter 11.

It's a vivid description of the end of the age. The earthquake, it brings destruction and death. A tenth of the city fell. 7,000 people were killed.

You say well that's pretty common. We see thousands of people killed in tsunamis and tornadoes and floods. Here's an earthquake that kills 7,000 people. When's the last time you heard any reporting on any natural disaster and God being referenced in any of it? Never. Well I won't say never but we'd have to go back through all those events and maybe hear somebody speak of God in it all.

No. But what's unique about Revelation chapter 11? Notice with me what else the earthquake provokes. Verse 13, in the same hour there was a great earthquake and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake 7,000 people were killed and the rest were afraid. Okay I've seen that. You've seen that.

You've seen the tear on people's eyes, the fear gripped by the power of a flood or a tsunami or an earthquake. But what else does it say? And gave glory to the God of heaven. What?

Gave glory to the God of heaven? We would fall out of our chair. We would fall off our couch or whatever other place we were viewing our TV screen if that were to happen, wouldn't we? But that's what is being predicted. How do we explain that? Well I'm moving to the Spirit of God. God in His mercy. And how we need to pray, O Lord in wrath remember mercy.

Because that's what is being manifested here. The wrath of God. And yet God is still working, wooing, drawing, softening, beckoning men to turn, repent. And the Bible says there were people, the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven. The rest. Well it says a tenth of the city fell.

That left nine tenths of the city. And it says and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven. Now I don't know if that's nine out of ten people gave glory to God, gave glory to God, but there's hope, there's encouragement there. There's a fifth thing I want us to see this morning and what is that? It is the reign of Christ. It is the reign of Christ. Now see again I just I want to reinforce the way we must look at the book of the Revelation here. If indeed we're going to see the reign of Christ, and it is here in verses 15 through 18, we'd say well John put an exclamation point and be done.

This is it. There's nothing more to be said. But why is there still chapters 12 all the way through 22? Well because we still haven't seen the vile judgment, the bold judgments, and so John's going to go back and revisit the same period of history and give us more detail. Notice with me again the reign of Christ. Verse 15, then the seventh angel sounded and there were loud voices in heaven saying the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign forever and ever. The reign of Christ.

There can be no doubt here that this that the end has come. The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ. Notice verse 16 and the 24 elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God saying we give thanks Oh Lord God Almighty the one who is and who was and who is to come because you have taken your great power and reigned and reigned. The nations were angry and your wrath has come in the time of the dead that they should be judged and that you should reward your servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear your name small and great and should destroy those who destroy the earth. So the Lord begins his reign there in this section.

The time for his wrath has come the time for his judging and his time for rewarding comes as well in verse 18. Well I was hoping that I'd be at this point at the end of this exposition but I want to leave you with five lessons and applications. Again what have we seen? What have we seen? Number one we saw resurrection. Number two we saw a loud voice. Number three we saw an ascension. Number four we saw an earthquake. Number five we see the reign of Christ.

Lessons and application. What is our task? What is our task as a church as redeemed people in this world at this time of redemptive history?

It is to maintain our witness. It is to maintain our witness for Jesus Christ to remain steadfast regardless of how hostile things get, regardless of how much opposition comes our way. Again I remind you what does it mean to be a Christian? What does it mean to be a believer?

It means to be a follower of Christ, to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him. Let's not be foolish, let's not be ignorant about what it means to be in this world. And things are going to become increasingly more hostile. This society is going to become more and more intolerant of us.

The heat is going to be turned up on us. This isn't a time for weak people, fragile people. We need strength and we need fortified. So a lesson on our place, our task in this world. Application number two, what do we say in the light of these instructions? Well I'm reminded of what D. Martin Lloyd-Jones said that if he had one warning to usher, what would it be when he preached? And it was this, flee the wrath to come, flee the wrath to come while the door of mercy is still open while we are, there's opportunity to repent and believe on Christ. Don't wait till the mountains are falling, don't wait till the rocks are falling on you. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Application number three, let's be assured that we are on the winning side.

We are on the winning side. Yes, things are going to become difficult. Yes, things are difficult. Pressure will continue to come upon us, but Christ will ultimately subdue all of His enemies under His feet. Lesson number four, be open to change, be open to being changed by the revelation of the Word of God. Do not be a slave to a particular position perhaps that you've held. We must let the Bible inform us and let the Bible carry us where it takes us.

What do I mean by that? I'm not gonna die on this hill, all right? I'm not gonna die on this hill, but there seems to be an awful lot of logic and scriptural support for a post-millennial tribulation position, all right? Post-millennial tribulation period, pre-wrath, all of this comes before God pours out His wrath. When He reigns, when He takes His place, then judgment comes, wrath comes, but not before. Listen to what Paul said in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 9, for God did not appoint us to wrath but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. There is a wrath reserved for all unrepentant, defiant, rebellious, stiff-necked people, but that wrath has been exhausted by Jesus Christ for the saints of God, for the redeemed, so we have no fear in that measure.

But again, just be open. I know many are entrenched and have only seen and believed for many years that the correct eschatological position is pre-millennial tribulation. You're gonna have to wrestle with this passage. You're gonna have to wrestle with this sermon that seems strongly to suggest a post-millennial tribulation position.

Application number five. I'm concerned about those who hold strongly to an eschatological position, that there's too much emphasis on what we are escaping from, what we are being delivered from, as opposed to what we are being delivered to, all right? And both are true. We're being delivered from the wrath to come, but listen to what the emphasis seems to be as Paul spoke to the church at Thessalonica. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, for what purpose? To be delivered from wrath?

No, to meet the Lord. That's the emphasis of Scripture. Too much emphasis is put on, I believe in a pre-trib rapture because God's gonna deliver us from the wrath to come. No, we're gonna be delivered, but I think we need to shift in the emphasis. Not so much delivered from wrath, but being delivered to our Lord. Caught up together in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. That's a place to say hallelujah, praise the Lord, if we know we're in that company.

So I'm not saying that it's an either or, it's both and, but it seems what drives... I really want to believe in a pre-tribulation wrath because I'm gonna be rescued. Well, there's been an awful lot of people who have suffered through an awful lot of persecution, and an awful lot of tribulation, and I have a hard time saying to them, well you know what, that tribulation that you suffered through, that wasn't the great tribulation. And that saint in heaven says, are you kidding me?

I was fed the lions. You're telling me that wasn't great tribulation? So there's tribulation for the church, perilous times, difficult times, but he will keep us. He's promised to sustain us in this world, to empower us, to be witnesses for him. So just my challenge there and my last point is just a correction, that we're excited more about the prospect of being with him, seeing him, being joined to him. That's the hope of the church.

Let us pray. Father, thank you for the instruction in your word, and we confess, I confess as a preacher, these are hard things to understand and rightly divide. Lord, I would ask that you would correct in the minds of those who have heard me this morning anything that I've said that's erroneous, that is inconsistent with what you really meant by what you said. But those things that I have said that indeed confirm your intent, would you confirm that in our hearts? And Lord, grow your church, build your church, strengthen your church, fortify your church, use your church, we pray, for your honor and for your glory, we ask in Jesus' name, amen.